Alabama Businessman Pleads Guilty In State Bingo Bribery Scandal

An Alabama businessman pleaded guilty Friday to his role in conspiring to bribe legislators to get favorable votes on pro-gambling legislation.

Jay Hare/Associated Press

Ronald Gilley, in a Sept. 28, 2010, file photo.

Ronald Gilley, of Enterprise, Ala. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, six counts of federal program bribery and four counts of money laundering. He’s one of 11 defendants charged in a 39-count indictment handed up Oct. 1, 2010, with a variety of crimes for their roles in the scheme.

“Ronald Gilley thought votes could be bought and sold in Alabama,” said Lanny Breuer, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in a statement. “He participated in a wide-ranging scheme to bribe state legislators into supporting a law that would fatten his wallet. But he, like his co-conspirators, was stopped in his tracks.”

Casino owners and hired lobbyists were seeking legislation in 2009 and 2010 to allow casino-style electronic bingo machines to operate legally in the state. The effort failed after the Justice Department informed Alabama legislative leaders of its investigation, according to a Wall Street Journal report from October.

The scandal led the Alabama legislature to take up a special session and pass a seven-bill package of ethics reforms, which then-Gov. Bob Riley signed into law during the waning days of his administration.

Gilley admitted his involvement in offering things of value worth millions of dollars to the Alabama legislature in exchange for the votes, and to directing lobbyists to offer bribes for the votes.

Gilley said he initially sought to change the process. “The closer I got to the flames, I became engulfed by that fire instead of putting it out,” he said.

He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge, and each federal bribery count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. The money laundering counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Gilley already agreed to forfeit $200,000 in connection with the money laundering charges. A sentencing date hasn’t been set.

Gilley’s lobbysists, Jarrod Massey and Jennifer Pouncy, each pleadedguilty. Massey is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 15, and Pouncy is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 11. Pouncy’s plea was related, but not directly connected, to the October indictment.

Among the other remaining defendants are two current Alabama state lawmakers, two former state lawmakers, two lobbyists, a business owner, an employee of Gilley’s and a state legislative staffer. They are scheduled to go on trial on June 6.

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